Weekly Roundup: February 6th
Weekly Roundup: February 6th
Featuring VOIID, Year of the Knife, Korine, and more.
MOSH PITHY:
A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.
VOIID – “And So Two”
I’ve had my eye on Brisbane/Meanjin quartet VOIID for some time now, and the group have returned with a shiny new single and a radical green-screen video to boot. Both elements come with a big 90s throwback vibe, complete with a B*Witched “C’est La Vie” visual aesthetic and further exploration of their riot gurl angle on the alternative/grunge sound. Watch the playful picnic clip for “And So Two” below:
Guitar Fight From Fooly Cooly – Drought
This release was floating around Music Journo Twitter last week and I just had to satiate my curiosity. This Tennessee trio, going by the exceptionally cool band name Guitar Fight From Cooly Fooly, dropped a new EP titled Drought, and it’s a cool mix of scrappy screamo and smooth ‘n’ jazzy math rock soundscapes. Picture chunky guitars, noodly sections, and frantic drums/vocals. It goes much harder than you expect—trust me. Stream the EP in full here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Forest Green – “Glass”
This single slid into my email inbox, and it was a surprise find that brightened my entire week with its dull, morose shade. It’s the newest track from Michigan alternative four-piece Forest Green titled “Glass,” and it’s out now through the good folks over at No Sleep Records. It’s the band’s first taste of new music since 2020’s In Waves, and according to vocalist and primary song-writer Mark Duhaime, it’s pulling from a wellspring of grim inspiration:
“‘Glass’ was written from the perspective of a serial killer who couldn’t emotionally handle falling in love with beautiful people. He claimed to have constantly dreamed about murdering them all, and I guess I just kinda found it interesting. It was kinda fun to step outside of myself and write a song from a different perspective.”
Listen to “Glass” here.
Megaton Sword – Might & Sword
I’ll let you in on a little secret: If your band promo photo has you wearing leather gauntlets, standing in front of majestic flames, and brandishing a big fuck-off sword, I’m gonna listen to that shit. Immediately. No questions asked. Instant satisfaction guaranteed. Thankfully, Swiss heavy metallers Megaton Sword also come through with the goods on their upcoming Might & Power LP, out February 24th via Dying Victims Productions. The quintet conjures massive power metal-adjacent bangers centred on strong hooks without sacrificing the riffs and the heaviness. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Year of the Knife – “Victim”
It appears there have been some lineup shuffle shenanigans in the Year of the Knife camp recently. However, do not despair; all is well and good for the Delaware metallic hardcore outfit. Great, in fact. The quartet surprise dropped a new three-track EP, Dust to Dust, through Pure Noise Records, along with the big reveal that ex-bassist Madison Watkins has now stepped up to the mic, and she.s absolutely ferocious. I’m expecting huge things from the band with this new focus and line-up, as they sound pissed off and hungry as shit. Listen to “Victim” here.
Korine – Tear
I’ve been raving about Philadelphia duo Korine for what feels like years now, and guess what? I’m gonna do it some more! (Sorry. But also not sorry.) The talented pair blend new wave and synthwave with emo and goth textures, crafting a dense, hypnotic and thoroughly engaging sound in the process. I utterly adore this group, and so I’m extremely excited for their upcoming LP, Tear, which is out February 17th through Born Losers/Avant! Records. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Cam Kahin – “birds”
Toronto alternative up-and-comer Cam Kahin isn’t one to shy away from the uncomfortable. His latest single, “birds,” is self-described as “the heaviest song I’ve ever written, both sonically and lyrically.” Featured on Kahin’s forthcoming EP and Dine Alone Records debut, When It’s All Over (out April 6th), the brooding track is “a four-and-a-half-minute panic attack, collapsing into and out of a screaming, sludgy breakdown. My darkest and most unapologetic song to date.” Heavy stuff, indeed. Watch the video for “birds” below:
GEL – Only Constant
On their full-length debut, New Jersey collective GEL are fiercely sticking to their convictions, delivering on their motto of “hardcore for the freaks.” Only Constant (out March 31st through Convulse Records) provides 16 minutes of aggressive, ripping, no-frills hardcore punk that emphasises the group’s frantic energy and the inclusive, come-one-come-all environment of their live shows. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2023 CUTS playlist, updated weekly.
HEAVY METTLE:
A closer, more in-depth look at a new record that ticks all my boxes.
Thrice – The Artist in the Ambulance - Revisited
There’s one review of Thrice’s seminal third LP, The Artist in the Ambulance (which turns 20 this August), that I think best sums up the feelings of nostalgia evoked by early 2000s post-hardcore material:
“this is the best cd in my collection. at first i thought it was all screaming and guitars but the more i listened, the more i loved it. the lyrics are genious! seriously, they could outwrite shakespeare or bob dylan or anyone those old people think are good writers. their lyrics are AMAZING. the songs are heavy and catchy. the riffs are diverse and awsome. and if you pay attention when you are listening, the drums will blow you up.”
Well, you can’t argue with that, folks. I, for one, will be diligently waiting for Amazon user BookFan to listen to Thrice's reimagined and re-recorded version of their 2003 record and post their next furious screed. (Apparently, according to their user post history, Nirvana’s In Utero has not aged, but Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory has—so take that how you will.)
Stream here: Bandcamp | Spotify
ERRONEOUS BOTCH:
Hellsworth’s finest Lewy Glass of Honest Crooks and Volatile Ways features on the latest episode of The Pitch pod to chat about his heavy music journey. We discuss Crook’s rural origins in Tamworthg, the group’s years-long path to their crushing full-length debut for EVP Recordings, their upcoming album release tour with Japanese bruisers Kruelty, and much more. Check it out: